News Trauma Conference Explores Cutting-Edge Techniques, Technology

Austin, Texas - (June 9, 2011) - More than 300 physicians, nurses, allied health and pre-hospital personnel participated in the 2011 Austin Trauma & Critical Care Conference, sponsored by Seton Healthcare Family and led by Dr. Carlos Brown, trauma medical director at University Medical Center Brackenridge and associate professor of surgery for the University of Texas Southwestern-Austin.

Participants explored cutting-edge techniques and technology for evaluation, diagnosis and management of trauma patients in urban, suburban and rural hospitals across the U.S.

You can see video interviews with Dr. Ben Coopwood, general surgery and trauma at UMC Brackenridge and vice chairman, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern-Austin; Dr. Ali Salim, associate professor of surgery and director, General Surgery Residency, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles; Dr. Tom Scalea, Physician-in-Chief, R. Adam Cowley Shock Trauma Center and Francis X. Kelly Professor of Trauma, University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore; and Dr. Theodore J. Spinks, neurosurgeon with Pediatric Surgical Subspecialties in Austin.

Among the topics addressed were:

• Comparing and contrasting the development of three Texas trauma centers: Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Ben Taub Hospital Houston and UMC Brackenridge.
• Changes in the treatment of pediatric trauma patients for airway management, concussions and non-accidental trauma.
• The impacts on current trauma care associated with tranexamic acid, military research initiatives, the results of the ACS Texas Trauma System Survey and hypothermia in the treatment of traumatic brain injury.
• Various surgical techniques and overall management of patients suffering from urethral, liver, tracheal, and gunshot wound injuries.
• The impact of new knowledge and techniques in treating acute care surgery and trauma patients.
• Lessons learned from the military and the impact of military advances on civilian trauma and acute care surgery.
• The impact on delivery of pre-hospital care for EMS trauma care - science vs. urban legend, the debate over House Bill 3588 and the presence of Tactical EMS providers.
• Changing principles and concepts relating to patient care in the Emergency Department: the use of direct laryngoscopy, emergency surgical procedures, pediatric pain control and early pelvic fracture management.
• Challenges in caring for the trauma patient in the Intensive Care Unit: monitoring and resuscitation of pediatric patients; treatment of the post-cricothyrotomy patient; causes and management of the delirious patient; and initiating mechanical ventilation.
• Critiquing process improvement initiatives in the field of trauma care to maximize collections at trauma centers, develop a High Reliability Organization, utilize new pain control options for rib fractures and learning from military trauma training systems.
• Management techniques and the use of technology in the treatment of acute care surgical issues, such as complications of bariatric surgery, acute diabetic foot infections; esophageal perforations and massive GI Bleed.
• Psychosocial aspects of trauma, such as intimate partner violence, the effect of race and insurance status on trauma outcomes and end of life care in trauma populations.
• Risk of radiation exposure, post traumatic stress disorder, massive transfusion practices and myth vs. reality in forensic evidence collection.
• Appropriate responses to injuries and illness with added complicating circumstances, such as the elderly anticoagulated patient, pulmonary injury with resection, popliteal artery with vein injury, and any injury accompanied by cirrhosis.
• Key management principles for patients requiring the following surgical interventions: fasciotomy for compartment syndrome, penetrating cardiac injury, injuries to the subclavian vessels and the vena cava.

The event was held June 2-3 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus.